The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-22
THE HAPPIEST MOMENT.
How Il Came to the Guests Of a
Christmas Party.

Honor, aged twenty. and her Aunt Mar.
garct, aged thirty-eight and unmarried,
maintained themselves by keeping morn
eng school for young ladies In Paradise
row, one OF the back streets of Camden
Town, London, which consisted of ten mean
little houses. Amt Margaret was the
daughter OF the rector of Brayleigh, and
Honor was her sisters child. The sister
had married an artist, and she and her
husband both died when Honor was a mere
baby. Her aunt and grandfather had edu-
Gated her. Soon after the rector's death
the two ladies were impoverished by the
failure of the bank which contained their
little store OF wealth. So the school was
opened, aud they got on fairly we'll, enjoy
ing their independence, although not in
receipt Of very promising income.
Honor had an uncle-her fathers brother
tho rich Mr.. BTyson, who, although he
gave them no financial aid, always invited
his niece and her aunt to spend the HOLIDAYS
at his house. AS the Christmas of 1872
drew near the two impoverished gentle
women began to fix over their bits OF finery
IN the expectation of the usual visit to
URcle Bryson's. Instead of the anticipated
invitation they received q very polite note
from Uncle B. saying that 1.-THE coming so
far must have always been tax on them,
therefore he would not again press the in
V:tGticn." He softened the blow with
check for go, his best wishes and the com.
plinlents of TIE season.
There w2s a reason for this beyond what
the two disappointed ladies could dream
Of. The Brysons had manageable
laughter, and there was certain Sir Ed
ward Dusart, who they thought, was about
discovered that Honor was much too hand
some and attractive to have around when
such an important possibility was pending:
and Sir Edward was to be Christmas
guest. Aunt Margaret had fondly dreamed
that Sir Edward cared for Honor, whom
ne had met more than once a: Uncle Bry-
sons. But when she heard that he was
about TO propose TO Uncle Bryson's
daughter Amelia she hoped that Honor did
not care for him.
The first impulse of Aunt Margaret and
Honor on receiving Uncle Bryson's check
was to send it back. Second thought per-
suadcd them to keepit and use every penny
OF it in giving Christmas party them
seivcs-not a party for the rich aud pros
porous, nor even for their financial EQUALS:
but party for the good and kind among
their neighbors. the inhabitants of Paradise
TOW, humble souls, to whom all. pleasures
were rare.
They took DIR. Redmond. the incumbent
of the new church in their district, into
their confidence, and he was greatly inter
Csted in the pan, and promised to help
them all he could. He was the only friend
tue two ladies had made since they went to
p<radise row to whom they could say any
thing about their past lives. He often
}ookeI In upon them after their DAYS work
was dcne, and it seemed plain to Aunt
Margaret that he took = great interest in
Honor. Sometimes Aunt Margaret said to
herself that the match would not pe so nm
desirable, although he was widower.
with a grown-up daughter, ano little too
old for Honor.
They had busy time preparing for the
feast They felt in duty bound to spend
every penny OF the money. In addition to
the supper, every guest was to have q
present, and several sick ones were to hays
presents sent them. They called in '.OId
Mamie" to help the maid OF all work get
1be feast ready, and, in her language, the
house soon ''smelt as good as cook shop.u
Old Mamie was to lie one of the guests AT
the Christmas party. She had been in
charge CT the guardians of the poor; but
hSd managed to have her ''lowances" sent
to her lowly lodgings, and never got into
the dreaded ''house," where the poor are
taken in the last extremity.
Among the other important guests were
the -litjle tailor and his wife" "Sally's
grandmother" Johnny and his mother"
and the poor ledger" Sally's grand
mother was lin receipt of parish relief.
The t,poor ledger" as the neighbors called
him, was young man about whom no one
know any more than that he did not ap-
pear TO have q friend in the world, and
that he had been in desperate need,
having just struggled through a long ILL
ness in an attic of a house where lodged
.J0hnnY and his mother. The latter, sail
crss widow, only just contrived to keep
body and soul together by working for the
city warehouses; and the little tailor and